Burial-casket



(No Model.)

' C. E. RICHARDS.'

BURIAL GASKET.

10.418,473. Patented Dec. 31, 1889.-

Anas-nenn UNITED 'STATES lPATENT Ormes.

CHARLES E. RICHARDS, OF BROOKLYN, NEWT YORK.

. BU RlAL-lCASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,473, dated December 31, ,1889.

Application filed October 24, 1889. Serial No. 328,000. (No model.)

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements t class of casket-lids which it is my purpose to overcome. One `of them is that heretofore moldings could not be used to ornament the tops of such panels, because they would become speedily worn and rubbed, and the other is that two such panels cannot be made to lie in the same'plane when the casket is closed without the use of expensive ways or bearings.

The novelty of my invention consists,briet ly, in providing` the lid of a casket with a permanent foot-panel resting upon springs inserted in a groove in the lid and which are vertically compressible, and in sliding a movable head-panel over the foot-panel when so depressed.

In the drawings, Figure lis a top plan view of the burial-casket lid, showing the same closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing' the head-panel moved forward to disclose the interior of the casket, and with parts cut away to show the bearing-wheel of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section of the closed lid, and Fig. 4 is a similar section of the same open. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the central panel or transom when the lid is partly open,and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the sliding panel.

A represents a burial-casket ot usual form, and B is the lid of the same, haviuga groove b cut its entire length to receive the foot and head panels, and the same being made deeper at b to receive the blocks F and springs f,

upon which the foot-panel E rests. It is also provided with a transverse strip b2, suitably secured across its width and in front of the cleat e, secured to the foot-section to prevent any longitudinal displacement of the sanne.

The top of the lid is composed of three panels: central panel or transom C, made permanent and designed principally to receive the name-plate, and which is elevated above the level of the other panels; the sliding headpanel D, provided with the knob CZ, by means of which itis moved and which serves as a stop against t-he edge of the transom C, and the footpanel E, which rests upon the springs f and may be depressed thereon. The footpanel is provided with the cleat e above mentioned. The sliding head-panel has near its front end one or more friction-wheels d,.in serted in its outer edge to roll over the top of the outer edge of the foot-panel. When I desire to ornament the panels with a raised molding, I cut away slots, as c, in the under side of the transom C, to permit ot its passage Without rubbing, and in such case, as the footpanel would likewise be so ornamented, for

nal strips, as e, on the top of the outer edge of the foot-panel, so that the wheel d may run on the same and the molding on the foot-panel kept out of eontactwith the under side of the head-panel. I can also accomplish the same purpose by increasing the diameter of the wheel d. It is obvious, also, that I may use coiled springs instead of bent ones, or that I may place small blocks in the groove h under the head-panel instead of using onelong strip.

The method of using my device hardly requires explanation. The lid being closed, the operator presses the foot-panel down with one hand and with the other takes hold of the knob d and moves the head-panel forward. IVhen the head-panel is moved back into place, the springs fforce the foot-panel up to the top of the groove b and the two panels are upon the same level.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A buriahcasket lid having two panels supported in grooves therein, one a fixed footpanel resting upon springs and capable of the sake of symmetry I place small longitudi-y IOO and sliding head-panel, of the foot-panel E, i 5 resting upon springs and provided with the strips e and ornamental top moldings.

5. The Combination, with the grooved lid B, provided with the transverse strip b2, of the foot-panel E, resting uponl springs f and provided with a retaining-cleat e.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatn re in presence of two Witnesses.

CHAS. E. RICHARDS.

Vitnesses:

JOHN H. MOWEN, J. R. ADAMsON. 

